Portable building



(No Model.)

J. H. VAN DORN. PORTABLE BUILDING.

Patented Nov; 1, 1892.

s PETERS 00 bwo-roumc WAiHINUTON a c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. VAN DORN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PORTABLE BUILDING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,306, dated November 1, 1892.

Application filed February 27, 1892. Serial No. 423,062. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. VAN DORN, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Buildings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in portable buildings, and more especially to a building or booth for polling-places where elections are held and entry made of the name of the electors, a portable building that without necessitating the removal or entire disconnection of any section or division of the same is reducible in size to facilitate its transportation and to require but comparativelylittle space in storing the same, or in its occupation at the polling-place when not in use, and that can be quickly and conveniently reconverted into its proper dimensions when required for use.

My invention consists, moreover, in a pcculiar construction whereby the windows of the building, when the latter is reduced in size as aforesaid, are not exposed externally, and hence the building may be stored outdoors without liability of the windows being broken by mischievous boys, or otherwise.

My invention consists, further, in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan in section of a building embodying my invention, taken on line Y Y, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation in section on line Z Z, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front end elevation, partly in section, showing the building reduced in size ready for storage or transportation.

The sides, roof, and ends of the building are preferably made of sheet metal, boarded or ceiled on the inside.

The building comprises a central section A, and lateral or side sections B and 0, located, re spectively, at opposite sides of the central section. Section B isintended for the judges and clerks, and should therefore be large enough,

for the purpose. Section C is divided into stalls wherein the elector prepares his ballot, a stall being preferably just large enough to accommodate a single elector, and section 0 has, also, preferably, a chamber for the challengers. All this will be more fully hereinafter explained.

A represents the floor of the central section of the building, the same comprising ordinary flooring and resting upon beams D. Section A at opposite ends, respectively, and preferably at the same side, is provided with the entrance and exit of the booth, E and F representing the doors for closing the respective openings.

Between doors E and F of the building is located the lateral outwardly-extending section B. The floor of section B is composed, preferably, of sheet metal covered by ordinary flooring and is hinged to floor of section A, as at b. Section A a suitable distance inside the junction of the floors of sections A and B is provided with upright posts or rods G. To posts G are hinged the end walls 13 of section B, as at b, walls 13' being provided, respectively, with a window, as at W. Section B in the present instance is twice as long as it is wide, being open on the inner side, but of course walled at its outer side, as at 13 wall B comprising two parts, being divisible, preferably, at the center, one part lapping over the other, as at E the divisions or, parts being hinged to the respective end walls, as at 12 The floor of section A at the side opposite section B has hinged thereto, as at c, the floor of lateral outwardly-extendingsection O, that comprises a number of stalls I and the challengers chamber J, the latter beingplocated in front of stalls I. The end walls of section 0, as at co, and the division-walls I I I of stalls I and chamber J, as at 2', are hinged, respectively, to an upright post or rod H, also resting upon the floor of central section A. Stalls I and chamber Jare,of course, open on their inner sides, but walled or closed at the opposite outer side, and these outer walls of the stalls and chamber constitute the outer side wall of section 0, and this outer side wall of section 0 is divisibleinto as many (or more) parts as there are stalls and chambers in said section of the booth and according to the size of said stalls and chambers. In the present instance the stalls are square in cross-section,

and chamber J is twice as long as it is wide. Consequently the outer side wall of section 0 is divisible into five parts, which we will mark for convenience O O C 0 respectively, 0 and 0 representing the outer side wall of chamber J, part 0 being hinged to the forward end wall of section 0, as at 0, part 0 to division-wall I, as at c ,part to divisionwall 1 as at 0 part (3 to division-wall 1 as at c, and part 0 to the rear end wall of section 0, as at 0 Of parts O'and 0 one preferably overlaps the other, as at c. :Stalls I are provided with shelves, as at S, that are removably secured within the stalls in any suitable manner. Posts G and H also assist in supporting ceiling A of the centralsection of the building, and the central section extends somewhat above side sections B and C, ceiling A having depending members 01?, that constitute the side walls of said upwardly-extending portion of the central section.

A represents the roof of the central section, the same being preferably arched, as shown, to carry off the water and extends from end to end of section A.

To walls a at their lower end, are hinged, respectively, the roofs R of sections 13 and C, as at r, roofs R resting upon the side and end walls of sections B and C, respectively, as at T Roofs R of course should have a little pitch, as shown, to pass off the water. It should be observed that the hinges connecting the roofs of side sections B and C with the central section are in the same or approximately the same vertical plane with the respective hinges that connect the floors of the side sections with the floor of the central section, and that posts or uprights G and H, to which the side and end walls of sections 13 and Care directly or indirectly pivotally connected, as aforesaid, are located in a plane inside of the vertical plane of the hinges of the roofs and floors of the side sections-that is, toward the interior of section A-so that when the side and end walls of sections B and O,which walls are provided with the windows of these sections, are folded together, as hereinafter described, they will come within the central section, and the roofs and floors of the side sections can be folded against and externally cover the folded side and end walls of said side sections. The roof of section 0 extends somewhat be yond the side wall of said section and has hinged thereto, as at r, a blind or apron R, that, besides serving asablind to the windows in stalls I of section 0, completes the external covering of this section when the side and end walls thereof are folded together, as aforesaid, blind R being adapted to be held in an open position by one or more arms K, hinged thereto, as at K.

It may not be amiss to describe the course an elector would pursuein casting his ballot. The elector enters the building at door E, obtains his ticket from the election officer in section B, who holds the ballots, and passes by chamber J ,where the challenging officers are stationed, and unless challenged passes on to an unoccupied stall I and prepares his ballot. Having prepared the same he passes toward the rear door F, on his way handing the ballot to the officer in charge of the ballot-box, and having witnessed the proper delivery of his ballot passes out at door F.

At T are shown the tables and seats for the judges and clerks and ballot-box, and at T the seat for the challenging-officers.

In reducing the size of the building for storage or transportation the side and end walls, roofs, and floors of sections B and O and the partition-walls of section 0 are folded, as indicated by dotted lines, which is, briefly, as follows: Commencing with section B, fold side parts or divisions B of the side wall against the respective end wallB. The walls thus folded are then turned inward toward each other into the same or approximately the same vertical plane, the roof being let down and the floor tilted upward, thus constituting an external covering for the side and end walls aforesaid. Section C is proceeded with in a similar manner, shelves S of course being removed. Divisions 0 O C of the side walls of this section are folded against the respective partitions I I I and divisions O and 0 against the respective end wall, and the parts thus folded are then turned inward to close this side of the central section of the building, the roof, with blind R, being let down, arm or arms 7" of blind R having been tilted upward, and with the floor, that is thereupon tilted upward, constituting an external covering for the side, end, and division walls of section 0 of the building.

The foregoing description, in connection with the illustrations in the drawings, will, it is believed, render the matter readily understood.

The ends of the central section of the building are of course closed; but I prefer to make a portion of the rear end wall in pieces hinged together horizontally and to the end wall of the central section, as at Z Z Z Z Fig. 3, so that when pushed outward, as shown in said figure, one or more additional stalls or shelves, if desired, can quickly be provided, member Z of said additional stall resting loosely upon the end wall of the central section, as at Z.

The importance of a building that can be extended and reduced in dimensions with the facility hereinbefore described is quite apparent. Likewise the importance of the outdoor storageability of the building with the windows unexposed, and this, too, by the simplicity of construction indicated.

In reference to the hinging of the parts of the side sections I would remark that the parts are preferably hinged in such a manner that they can be readily detached. I would also remark that I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arsection and side sections, the side and end walls of the latter being adapted to be folded against each other and against or within the central section, the roofs and floors of said side sections being hinged to the central section and adapted, respectively, to fold against the folded end and side walls of the respective side sections, substantially as set forth.

2. A portable building comprising a central section and side sections, the side and end walls of the latter comprising a number of parts hinged together and adapted to be folded against or within the central section, the roofs and floors of the side sections being hinged to the central section and adapted, respectively, to fold outside the folded end and side Walls of the respective side sections, substantially as set forth.

3. A portable building comprising a central section and two side sections, one of said side sections being divided into two or more stalls or chambers separated by partition-walls, the end Walls and partition-walls of said side sections being detachablyconnected with the central section and the side walls of said side sections being composed of two or more parts detachably connected with the end and partition walls of said side sections, the roofs and floors of said side sections being hinged to the central section, and the arrangement of parts being such that by disconnecting and removing the end, side, and partition walls of said side sections the roof and floor of said side sections can be tilted toward each other against the respective side of the central section, substantially as set forth.

4. A portable building comprising a central section and side sections, one of said side sections being divided into two or more stalls or chambers separated by partition walls, the end walls, partition-walls, roofs, and floors of said side sections being hinged to the central section and the side walls of said side sections comprising two or more parts hinged, respectively, to the end and partition walls, the arrangement of parts being such that the end, side, and partition walls aforesaid are adapted to be folded inward and the roofs and floors of the side sections folded against the folded end, side, and partition walls, substantially as set forth.

5. A portable building comprising a central and a side section, upright posts or rods at a side of the central section, the end walls of said side section being hinged, respectively, to one of said upright posts, and the side wall of said side section being divisible into two parts hinged, respectively,to the adjacent end Wall of said side section, the roof and floor of said side section being hinged to the central section outside of said upright. posts or rods, whereby when the side and end walls of the side sections are folded inward the roof and floor of said section maybe tilted towardeach other to externally cover the foldedside and end walls aforesaid, substantially as set forth.

6. A portable building comprising a central and a side section, upright posts or rods at a side of the central section, the side section comprising a number of chambers or stalls, the partition-walls and end walls of said side section being hinged, respectively, to one of said upright posts, the side wall of said side section being divisible into parts hinged to the partitions and end walls aforesaid, the roof and floor of said side section being hinged to the central section outside said upright posts or rods, whereby when the side, end, and partition walls are folded inward within the central section the roof and floor of said side section are adapted to fold outside the folded side, end, and partition walls aforesaid, substantially as set forth.

7. A portable building comprising a central section and a side section, upright posts or rods at a side of the central section, said side section comprising two or more stalls or chambers, the partition-walls and end walls of said side section being hinged or detachably connected, respectively, to one of said upright posts, the sidewall of said side section comprising a number of parts hinged or detachably connected, respectively, to the partition and end walls aforesaid, the roof and floor of said side section being hinged or detachably connected to the central section outside said upright posts, a blind or apron hinged to said roof and extending lengthwise said side section, the arrangement of parts being such that the side and end and partition walls are adapted to be folded inward, and the roof with attached blind or apron and the floor are adapted to be folded outside the folded end, side, and partition walls aforesaid, substantially as set forth.

8. A portable building comprising a central section and side sections, the latter being provided with one or more windows and one of said side sections being divided into two or more stalls or chambers separated by partition-walls, upright posts or rods at either side of the central section, the end and partition walls of the side sections being hinged, respectively, to one of said upright posts or rods, the side walls of the side sections comprising two or more parts hinged, respectively, to the end and partition walls of the side sections, the roofs and floors of said side sections being hinged to the central section outside said upright posts or rods, and an apron or blind hinged to and extending lengthwise one of said side sections, the arrangement of parts being such that the end, side,

and partition Walls are adapted to be folded horizontally, substantially as and for the pur- IO inward and the roofs and floors of the side pose set forth.

sections are adapted to be folded outside the In testimony whereof I sign this specificafolded end, side, and partition walls aforetion,in the presence of two witnesses,this 18th said, substantially as set forth. day of November, 1891.

9. A portable building comprising a central JAMES H. VAN DORN. section, sides, front, and rear end walls, the Witnesses: rear end wall of said central section compris- O. H. DORER,

ing several parts or pieces hinged together WVARD HOOVER. 

